Coffer-dam.



P. J. MAGISAAG.

COPPER DAM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26, 1913.

Patented Oct. 14, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

y l/VVE/VTOR.

WITNESSES: l 0 I F. J. MAQISAAG.

COPPER DAM.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 26, 1913.

Patented Oct. 14, .1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

lA/I/EA/TOR ATTORNEYS FREDERIG J. MACISAAC, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

COFFEE-DAM.

Application filed June 26. 1913.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 14, 1913.

Serial No. 775,831.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREDERIO J. MACISAAO, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Richmond Hill, New Yorkcity, county of Queens, State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Coffer-Dams, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in coflerdams.

The main object of the invention is to provide an improved constructionof cofferdam which is especially adapted for large work and in placeswhere the depth is great. More specifically, I provide a structure whichis not only easily and cheaply assembled and put in place, but which hasgreat strength and rigidity. In the form shown, the walls of thecofferdam are made of steel sheeting suitably interlocked and bracedbelow the water line so that bulging or kicking out at toe of thesheeting, a trouble common to deep dams, is prevented.

Further objects, features and advantages will more clearly appear fromthe detailed description given below taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings which form a part of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating the cofierdamembodying my invention in one form; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sketch takenon the line IIII of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detail plan taken on the lineIII-III of Fig. 2; Fig. 4: is a perspective showing the plates which areadapted to close the slots in the sheeting at the parts where thetension members do not pass therethrough. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailvertical section showing the construction where the tension members passthrough the walls of sheeting; Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken onthe line VIVI of Fig. 2; Fig. 7 is a transverse section taken on theline VIIVII of Fig. 2; and Fig. 8 is a transverse section taken on theline VIIIVIII of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, 1 and 2 represent the inner and outer wallsrespectively, of the cofierdam. These walls are made up of verticalsteel sheets 3, provided on their vertical edges with interlockingportions 4,

so that the adjacent sheets may be interlocked with one another, asclearly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 8.

Some of the sheets of each wall are split vertically, as at 5, so as toprovide a vertical slot between the two parts thereof. Where thesesheets extend down into the mud the two split halves are securedtogether by means of a plate 6 bolted to each half at 7 (see Fig. 6).After the inner and outer walls of the cofierdam have been put in placein this manner with certain of the sheets 3 split as described, thetension members 8 each consisting of an upper horizontal strip 9 and alower horizontal strip 10 connected together by means of a plurality ofbracing members 11, are dropped down between the inner and outer Walls 1and 2, in the slots 5, with the ends of the tension members projectingthrough the slots, as clearly shown in the drawings.

' On the ends of each horizontal strip 9 and 10, are bolted uprights 12,and between the upper ends of these uprights and the outside of thewalls 1 and 2, are placed hori zontal transverse members 13 carried bythe tension members 9 and 10. These transverse members abut against theinterlocking joints 4 of the steel sheeting on the outside of the wallson one side of the transverse members 13, while on the other side theyabut against the upright members 12. When dropping these tension members8 into place the vertical slot between the members 9 and 10 is closed bymeans of members 14 comprising two plates, one on the inside and one onthe outside of the wall, which plates are secured together by bolts 15,the bolts passing through the vertical slot at 5. Ordinarily the firstor lower layer of tension members 8 are dropped down until they restupon the bottom of the body of water, although if desired they may besunk to some distance below the bottom. After these are put in placefurther members comprising plates 16 and 17 held together by bolts 18are dropped down the slots on top of the lower rowof tension members 8,as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Thereupon, another row of tension members 8are dropped down the vertical slots 5 in the same manner, then anotherset of plates covering the slots, etc., until the top of the water isreached. I also provide a plurality of braces 19 eX- tending between thelower end of the outer wall 2 and the upper end of the inner wall 1,which aid in preventing the outer wall from being pulled out in case theside of the coflerdam should receive a blow, as from a scow or otherboat. Also, I place above the transverse members 13 adjacent the outerwall 2, at the top, horizontal members 20 which are rigidly secured tothe sheet 3 by means of bolts 21, so that in case the outer wall shouldreceive any blow there would be no danger of the upper tension members 8being shoved up and out of the slots in the walls.

In use the structure is put in place as described, and the space betweenthewalls 1 and 2 is filled with soft mud and slush, the top of the sameusually constituting a puddle. After being carefully put in place thewater on the inside of the cofferdam may then be pumped out in the usualmanner.

By splitting some of the sheets 3 (in the form shown I have splitsubstantially each alternate sheet of the walls) a simple and convenientarrangement is formed whereby the tension bracing members 8 may beeasily dropped in place from the top. It will be understood, however,that other arrangements by which vertical slots extending downwardlyfrom the top of the walls are provided, may be used. Also thearrangement of plates, as shown in Fig. 4, forms a simple means forclosing up the vertical slots at points other than where the tensionmembers pass therethrough. In the arrangement shown, the vertical slotsat 5 are cut in the metal sheet-s between adjacent interlocking jointsand transverse members 13 bear against the joints, thus forming aneflicient arrangement for bracing the whole structure, and the plates14, 16 and 17 not only form an eflicient means for closing up the slots,but also properly space the tension members at different heights, sothat the two walls are rigidly connected from top to bottom.

Although I have described my improvements in great detail and withrespect to one particular form thereof, nevertheless I do not desire tobe limited to such details except as clearly pointed out in the appendedclaims, since many changes and 1nodifications may well be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of my invention in its broaderaspects.

Having fully and clearly described my improvements, what I claim as newand desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A coiferdam comprising inner and outer walls composed of interlockingmetal sheets, some of the sheets of both walls having vertical slots cuttherein between adjacent interlocking joints, and tension members extending between the innerand outer walls and through the slots in saidwalls.

2. A cofferdam comprising inner and outer walls each composed ofvertical sheets suitably joined together, some of the sheets of bothwalls having vertical slots therein between the joints, and tensionmembers extending between the inner and outer walls and through theslots therein for bracing the walls.

8. A cofferdam comprising inner and outer walls each composed ofvertical sheets suitably joined together, some of the sheets of bothwalls having vertical slots therein between the joints, and tensionmembers extending between the inner and outer walls and through theslots therein for bracing the walls, said tension members carryingtransverse members for engaging the sheets on the outside thereof. I

4:. A cofferdam comprising inner and outer walls each composed ofvertical sheets suitably joined together, some of the sheets of bothwalls having vertical slots therein between the joints, and tensionmembers eX- tending between the inner and outer walls and through theslots therein for bracing the walls, said tension members carryingtransverse members for engaging the sheets on the outside thereof, andsaid transverse members being sufficiently long to extend over thejoints adjacent the slots through which the corresponding tensionmembers pass.

5. A colferdam comprising inner and outer walls composed of interlockingmetal sheets, some of the sheets of both walls having vertical slots cuttherein between adjacent interlocking joints, and tension membersextending between the inner and outer walls and through the slots insaid walls, said tension members carrying transverse members forengaging the sheets on the outside thereof, and said transverse membersbeing sufii ciently long to extend overthe joints adjacent the slotsthrough which the corresponding tension members pass.

6. A cofierdam comprising inner and outer V walls'each composed ofvertical sheets suitably joined together, some of the sheets of bothwalls having vertical slots therein between the joints, tension membersextending between the inner and outer walls and through the slotstherein for bracing. the walls, and plates for covering said slots atpoints other than where the tension members pass therethrough. V

7. A coiferdam comprising inner and outer walls each composed ofvertical sheets suitably joined together, some of the sheets of bothwalls having vertical slots therein between the joints, tension membersextendin between the inner and outer walls and through the slots thereinfor bracing the walls, and plates for covering said slots at pointsother than where the tension members pass therethrough, said platescomprising members on both sides of the wall and bolts passing throughthe slots for connecting said members.

8. A coflerdam comprising inner and outer walls each composed ofvertical sheets, said walls having vertical slots therein extendingdownwardly from the top of the walls, tension members extending betweenthe inner and outer walls and through the slots therein for bracing thewalls, and plates for covering said slots at points other than where thetension members pass therethrough, said plates comprising members onboth sides of the wall and bolts passing through the slots forconnecting said members.

9. A coiterdam comprising inner and outer walls each composed otverticalsheets, said walls having vertical slots therein extending downwardlyfrom the top of the walls, and tension members extending between theinner and outer walls and through the slots therein for bracing thewalls, each of said tension members comprising a plurality of horizontalstrips connected together by means of a plurality of bracing members. I

10. A coli'erdam comprising inner and outer walls each composed ofvertical sheets suitably joined together, some or the sheets of bothwalls having vertical slots therein between the joints, and tensionmembers extending between the inner and outer walls and through theslots therein for bracing the walls, each of said tension memberscomprising a plurality of horizontal strips connected together by meansof a plurality of bracing members.

11. A cofferdam comprising inner and outer walls composed ofinterlocking metal sheets, some of the sheets of both walls havingvertical slots cut therein between adja cent interlocking joints, andtension members extending between the inner and outer walls and throughthe slots in said walls, each of said tension members comprising aplurality of horizontal strips connected together by means of aplurality of bracing members, said tension members carrying transversemembers for engaging the sheets on the outside thereof, and saidtransverse members being sufficiently long to extend over the jointsadjacent the slots through which the corresponding tension members pass.

12. A cofterdam comprising inner and outer walls each composed ofvertical sheets,

said walls having vertical slots therein extending downwardly from thetop of the walls, tension members extending between the inner and outerwalls and through the slots therein for bracing the walls, and aplurality of braces extending between the lower end of the outer walland the upper end of the inner wall.

18. A cotterdam comprising inner and outer walls each composed ofvertical sheets suitably joined together, some of the sheets of bothwalls having vertical slots therein between the joints, tension membersextending between the inner and outer walls and through the slotstherein for bracing the walls, said tension members carrying transversemembers for engaging the sheets on the outside thereof, and a pluralityof braces extending between the lower end of the outer wall and theupper end of the inner wall.

14-. A coflerdam comprising inner and outer walls each composed ofvertical sheets, said walls having vertical slots therein ex tendingdownwardly from the top of the walls, tension members extending betweenthe inner and outer walls and through the slots therein for bracing theWalls and spaced at different heights, and means for preventing theupper tension members from being pushed out of the slots in the outerwall.

15. A cofi'erdam comprising inner and outer walls each composed ofvertical sheets suitably joined together, some of the sheets of bothwalls having vertical slots therein between the joints, tension membersextending between the inner and outer walls and through the slotstherein for bracing the walls and spaced at different heights, means forpreventing the upper tension members from being pushed out of the slotsin the outer wall, and plates for covering said slots at points otherthan where the tension members pass therethrough.

16. A cofierdam comprising inner and outer walls each composed ofvertical sheets, said walls having vertical slots therein extendingdownwardly from the top of the walls, and tension members dropped downsaid slots to different heights, and extend ing between the walls tobrace the same.

17. A cofierdam comprising inner and outer walls each composed ofvertical sheets, said walls having vertical slots therein extendingdownwardly from the top of the walls, tension members dropped down saidslots extending between the walls to brace the same, said tensionmembers carrying transverse members for engaging the sheets on theoutside thereof and spaced at different heights, and means forpreventing the upper tension members from being pushed out of the slotsin the outer wall.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

FREDERIO J. MAOISAAC.

WVitnesses EDWIN SEGER, GORHAM CRosBY.

18. A cofferdam comprising inner and outer Walls composed of verticalmetal sheets, said Walls having vertical slots therein, and tensionmembers dropped down said 5 slots and extending between the inner andouter Walls to brace the same, for holding the Walls in proper spacedrelation.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

